Chapter 8 Is this the room number?

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The sudden anomaly caused everyone to tense up immediately.

"Now that you've arrived, it's time to check in, supervisors..."

The voice that sounded like a robust sixty-year-old forcefully tearing dried bark was tinged with a hint of sarcasm.

It was unclear whether this was the owner's style or if they were actually mocking them.

Ghostface Fox took a deep breath and exchanged glances with the others before whispering, "Let's go."

The Spirit Realm was just beginning, and there were too many unknowns. According to the mission objectives and background introduction, their current identities should still be safe; they would have to follow the plot before considering other matters.

The four of them walked out of the cramped stone room one by one and entered the corridor.

The era of this Spirit Realm seemed rather ancient, with only dim oil lamps illuminating the passageway just enough to see where they were going.

It was only then that they could see what the speaker looked like.

It was hard to describe her appearance.

Not tall, about one meter sixty, with the face of a young human woman, but that face was embedded in a black bird's head, the dense feathers gleaming with the deep luster of obsidian. Her body was hidden under a grey cloak that dragged on the ground; beneath the linen fabric, it was empty, revealing her slender figure, with two pairs of wings, one above the other, standing behind her back, even touching the corridor's ceiling, which was probably more than two meters high.

"Giggle... Scared, are you? Supervisors," the human-faced bird cackled with her distinctive voice.

The faces of the group turned sour.

Except for Jiang Lu.

He was as curious as a child, "Can I touch your wings?"

The cackling stopped abruptly.

Heavy Cannon and Willow Blade's expressions changed.

Ghostface Fox quietly tugged at Jiang Lu's clothing, signaling him not to be reckless.

The human-faced bird's voice was shrill, as if someone were pinching her throat, "What a bold child... You may call me the Messenger. Follow me to collect your garments."

With that, she turned and walked into the darkness, not caring that her wings left two long bloody streaks on the dome of the ceiling.

As they followed behind her, Jiang Lu couldn't take his eyes off her, "She's a tough one."

Heavy Cannon frowned, still shaken by the previous incident, and warned in a low voice, "You're the tough one. This is an S-class Spirit Realm; take this seriously! It doesn't matter if you die, just don't drag us down with you!"

"Oh," Jiang Lu felt aggrieved, but he kept quiet, choosing to bear it in silence.

Ghostface Fox and Heavy Cannon probably felt the same way, but out of consideration for Jiang Lu's feelings, neither continued the conversation. Instead, one of them gently patted his shoulder, offering comfort.

After countless turns and flights of stairs, they finally arrived in front of a set of wooden double doors over three meters high.

"Here we are..." The Messenger pushed open the doors.

With the decayed creaking sound, a magnificent hall appeared before them.

Luxurious and glittering, the grandeur stood in stark contrast to the path they had walked and the initial stone room.

However, the hall was empty, so silent it was almost frightening.

The Messenger explained, "This was where the previous supervisors lived. Now that they have left, you will stay here."

As she spoke, she brought out a wooden chest.

Only then did everyone notice that she had no hands, and her walking feet were a pair of bird's feet.

It was less carrying and more like she had clamped it over.

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Upon the messenger's gesture, several people opened the chest and took out four sets of black robes.

The moment they donned the robes, information about the prison flooded into their minds like a tide.

Now they finally understood why they were called wardens.

Watching the four of them stunned, stationary from the influx of information, the messenger nodded in satisfaction:

"Now you possess the complete map of the Black Tower. If you wish, you can monitor any corner of the lower levels of the Black Tower, where the lost souls are imprisoned, at any time."

"The place we are now is..." Ghostface Fox was checking the map in his mind to pinpoint their location in the hall: "the middle section of the Black Tower, on the east side?"

"You catch on quickly," the messenger praised, yet her tone, even though complimentary, felt sarcastic.

Jiang Lu studied the map and discovered that the entire Black Tower was divided into three areas. The lower level was the bulkiest, while the upper level was very slender.

Beyond that, only the maps of the middle and lower levels were visible; the upper level was pitch black, as if shrouded in fog.

Heavy Cannon cautiously probed, "The upper level is...?"

"The upper level is, of course, where the master of the Black Tower resides," warned the messenger. "Do not attempt to observe the upper level. Even as wardens, anyone who dares to set foot there will be cursed."

"What kind of curse?" Jiang Lu asked.

"The specifics of the curse are of no consequence. In the end, the fate awaiting you would be even more miserable than that of the prisoners here," concluded the messenger, saying no more.

Ghostface Fox adjusted his glasses, "I want to know, what is the work we need to do?"

"We serve the God of Redemption."

The expression of the messenger turned solemn:

"So naturally, our job is to help the souls that have committed sins find redemption. Assisting them in gaining redemption and entry into heaven is what you are tasked with."

"Find redemption?" Ghostface Fox frowned slightly, "In other words, make them realize and repent for their sins?"

"Exactly," the messenger nodded, then paused before adding, "Each of you must complete a redemption task every week. If the deadline is reached and you have not fulfilled the redemption, you too will be deemed sinful and cast down to the lower levels of the Black Tower."

The faces of the others turned grave.

People who've been imprisoned in the real world for years might not change their ways after release, and here, the prisoners are the worst of the worst. Is it not fanciful to expect a redemption to be completed every week?

"Of course, the conditions are strict, I know, and not just I know—the God of Redemption knows too."

The smile on the messenger's face became somewhat sinister:

"Hence, there are no restrictions on how you redeem. As wardens, you have the same authoritative powers as gods in the lower levels of the Black Tower. Whether it's forced transformation, creating an Illusory Realm. Any method you can think of can be implemented. What the God of Redemption... wants is your performance metrics."

"Anything goes?" Jiang Lu asked for confirmation.

"Anything goes," the messenger affirmed confidently.

The rest of them had different expressions, deep in thought.

"By the way, this is for you."

The messenger took out four hand bracelets and handed them to them.

The bracelets were engraved with four different numbers.

Jiang Lu's was 87, Ghostface Fox's was 68, Heavy Cannon's was 60, and Willow Blade's was 63.

Ghostface Fox looked at the numbers with confusion and turned his gaze towards the four rooms on both sides of the hall, asking with puzzlement, "Are these... our room numbers?"

"No," the messenger shook her head. "These are my favorability ratings towards you."